Filter mouthpiece for cigars and cigarettes



Jan. 5, 1960 R. o. MCCORMICK 2,919,699

FILTER MOUTHPIECE FOR CIGARS AND CIGARETTES Filed Dec. s, 1956 F/ G. 5 F/ G. 4

INVENTOR. E0) 0. M COEM/CK BY United States Patent() FILTER MOUTHPIECE FOR CIGARS AND CIGARETTES Roy 0. McCormick, Puyallup, Wash.

Application December 3, 1956, Serial No. 626,019

1 Claim. (Cl. 131-173) This invention relates to filter mouthpieces for cigars and cigarettes, and more particularly to an improved filter mouthpiece'of the type employing liquid to filter the smoke passing through the mouthpiece.

This application is a continuation of the 'copending application, Serial No. 517,807, filed June 24, 1955 for Improved Filter Mouthpiece for Cigars and Cigarettes.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved filter mouthpiece for cigars, cigarettes, or the like, said mouthpiece being simple in construction, being compact in size, and being arranged to provide a series of liquid chambers through which the smoke passes, whereby undesirable materials carried in the smoke may be removed in an eflicient and thorough manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved filter mouthpiece of the liquid type for use with cigars, cigarettes and the like, said mouthpiece being inexpensive to manufacture, being inconspicuous in appearance, and providing an effective filtering action to remove particles of harmful material from smoke.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a cigarette provided with an improved filter mouthpiece constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken longitudinally through the arrangement of Figure 1 on the line 2-2 of said figure.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. v

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken through a modified form of filter mouthpiece according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, 1'1 designates a conventional cigarette, and 12 designates a filter mouthpiece according to the present invention which is secured on the end of the cigarette 11. The mouthpiece 12 comprises a tubular sleeve 13 of any suitable material, such as paper, or similar thin sheet material, said sleeve having secured therein 2,919,699 I} Patented Jan. 5, 196!) between by capillary attraction, namely, by the surface tension of the liquid acting to support the water in said spaces.

The central apertures 15 of the closely spaced members 14 are arranged in alignment, as shown in Figure 2, to define a passage 16 for smoke, said passage extending from the end of the cigarette 11 to the outlet end of the sleeve member 12, whereby the smoke is drawn through the passage 16 and is exposed to the liquid retained between the plate-like members 14.

The edges of the apertures 15 act to trap particles of undesirable material, such as particles of tar or similar material carried in the smoke, and these particles are caught in the liquid surfaces between the adjacent apertures 15, whereby the smoke is effectively cleansed of undesirable particles as it passes through the aligned apertures 15 to the smokers mouth.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the mouthpiece is designated generally at 12. and comprises a sleeve member 13, of suitable shape, for example, of generally square shape, to conform with the shape of the end of a cigar or of a cigarette having a square cross section, the sleeve 13' being adapted to receive a cigar, or a cigarette 11' in one end thereof, as shown in Figure 4.

Secured in close spaced parallel relationship and extending longitudinally through the'sleeve 13' are a plurality of substantially rigid, thin triangular plate-like members 14' spaced to form zig-zag slots 15' extending from the end of the sleeve 13' in which the cigarette 11 is engaged to the opposite end of said sleeve member.

As shown in Figure 5, the zig-zag slots 15 are transversely aligned and are arranged to define a passage for smoke from the cigarette 11 to the opposite end of the sleeve member, said passage including the edges of the zig-zag slots 15'. As in the previously described form of the invention, the spacing between the plate like mem bers 14' is sufiiciently small to retain water or similar liquid therebetween by capillary attraction. Thereby, the smoke-washing liquid is stored between the plate members 14' to present a liquid wall therebetween. The smoke must then necessarily move through the passage defined by the zigzag slots 15 whereby it is maintained in continuous contact with liquid surfaces along the edges of the slots 15', allowing the tar particles and similar undesirable material in the smoke to be trapped and caught in the liquid. Thus, the smoke is cleansed of the undesirable particles as it passes through the mouthpiece from the cigarette to the smokers mouth.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved filter mouthpiece for a cigarette, cigar, or the like, have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A filter mouthpiece for cigarettes and the like, comprising an elongated hollow sleeve, one'end of which is dimensioned to receive a cigarette or the like and the other end of which is adapted to be received in a smokers mouth, a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of longitudinally extending thin plates in the intermediate sides of the sleeve beyond the longitudinal center line of the sleeve and terminating a spaced distance inwardly of the other side, each group comprising a plurality of said thin plates spaced apart transversely of the sleeve sufficiently close to retain a smoke washing liquid be tween them by capillary attraction substantially to the inner end of the plates, whereby said liquid is presented to the smoke as the latter passes through the zig-zag passageway defined by the plates and liquid.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Carabias Sept. 7, 1909 Cullen June 5, 1943 Zuckerman Oct. 23, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1876 Switzerland Feb. 27, 1911 Great Britain Apr. 21, 1954 

